What to Expect at a Real Estate Closing

October 8, 2025·By Tucker Allen

Where it happens

Depending on your state, closings happen at:

The title company or escrow company's office (most common in the West)
The buyer's or seller's attorney's office (common in attorney states like NY, MA, GA)
Your home (some states allow remote closings)
Online (Remote Online Notarization, where allowed)

Your loan officer or real estate agent will tell you the location at least a few days in advance.

What to bring

Government-issued photo ID. Driver's license or passport. Required for the notary.
Cashier's check or wire confirmation. For your cash to close. Personal checks are rarely accepted at this dollar amount. Wire transfers are most common — your title company will give you wiring instructions a few days before.
Your Closing Disclosure. You should have received this 3+ business days before closing. Bring it for reference.
Proof of homeowner's insurance. Sometimes already provided to the lender; bring a copy just in case.

What happens at the closing table

Closings typically take 30–60 minutes. Here's the rough sequence:

1. Document review and signing

You'll sign 30–50 documents. The big ones:

Promissory Note. Your written promise to repay the loan.
Mortgage / Deed of Trust. Pledges the property as collateral.
Closing Disclosure. Summary of all costs (you should have already reviewed this).
Truth-in-Lending and ECOA disclosures. Federal-required forms.
Title documents. Deed transfer from seller to buyer.
Affidavits and rider documents. Various certifications about occupancy, taxes, etc.

2. Funding

Once both parties have signed, the title company wires loan funds to the seller and records the deed with the county. This often happens that same afternoon, but in some states there's a 1-day gap.

3. Key handoff

You usually get the keys at the end of closing — sometimes immediately, sometimes after the deed records. Check with your agent on local custom.

Watch out for these

Wire fraud

Wire fraud targeting closings is a real and growing problem. Scammers send fake wiring instructions impersonating your title company. Always call your title company directly using a phone number you've independently verified before sending any wire. Not the number on the email.

Numbers don't match the Closing Disclosure

Your CD is locked 3 days before closing. If the closing-day numbers differ — even slightly — ask why before signing.

Documents you don't understand

You're allowed to read every page. Ask the closing agent to explain anything that's unclear. If something doesn't match what your loan officer said, pause and call them.

After closing

Save a copy of every document. Some are needed at tax time (mortgage interest statement, points paid).
Set up automatic mortgage payments — first payment is typically 30–60 days after closing.
Update your address (DMV, employer, banks, subscriptions).
If you put less than 20% down, plan ahead for when PMI can drop off.